ZERON

The bridge worked in quite an odd but effective manner, the crystal granted to the commanders by the king allowed the constantly active lightning within the clouds to get channeled into one of the two enchanted silver pillars. The left pillar began glowing from its cracks, the same dark blue from the crystal, it called on to the power on the other side of it. As used to it as they were, the knights saw a giant stream of electricity emerging from both sides of the bridge, they caught together in the middle, causing a loud crash, similar to that of thunder. The now glowing silver pillars shot lightning to their right counterparts. Streams of light invaded the space in between the four pillars, creating a solid foothold, large and strong enough for the king's entire army to leave through it at the same time… it wasn't advised though… The bridge was complete with blue streams of light on the edges for handrails to prevent people falling over… especially vibrant kids like Alloy.The pillars were enchanted so as to prevent anyone using their own drift to activate a bridge without the king's crystal. The commanders and the direct staff of the king, who held the power to use them, each had keys that can either open or close the runic channels in the pillar.

Activation was complete.

 * * * * *

Perilius was quite an odd fellow, she was determined to please her master and originally, find someone powerful enough to serve her master's wishes. During her scouting, her plans switched quite a bit once she saw Alloy. She snuck into Soran's house to steal his sword, when Ivy, who found her eliminating witnesses, called to the knights of the kingdom who were there for different reasons, and the struggle began, not long after, Alloy joined. Since staying that long outside with a stolen treasure was getting riskier, she decided to split. She was definitely stronger than Alloy, but still struggling to use the new sword she stole. She had run to a cave deep in the ends of the South Western side of the island. It didn't have much, mostly darkness with two different crystals that glowed differently against the corners of the cave. A purple color emitted from a crystal that was cracked. Unlike the king's keys, this had a red veined web of cracks on it apart from the rune mostly used on it, the mixture of colors turning purple in the event she was called… speaking of which, it began glowing, and she didn't waste any time picking it up. It glowed greatly and constantly against her fairly light brown skin after she picked it up to listen closely, coloring her red hair a darker shade where the light shone. Her master beckoned.

"Master… I…"

"Did you get her??" A demanding voice, clearly distorted by the many runes etched into the crystal, spoke.

"No… not yet master. She is a high profile member of the knights, making it difficult for me to…"

"Your worries do not concern me Perilius. Do as you are told."

"Yes master. I did, however, manage to steal Soran's blade." A silence struggled to break the tension.

"Master??"

"Soran's sword… is it really…??"

"Yes. Master. 第七星縁 - Dai Nana Hoshien (The Seventh Star Cross). I stole it, but there lives another swordswoman. One who possesses a shadow drift. I clashed with her more than once while I've been here, she proves to be a challenge to us in the future."

"It won't matter. The emperor lives. All who oppose us will not."

"Of course. I will set the plans for the mission in motion. It will be done by the next full moon."

"Make it so. This time, take your crystal along with the corruption key." The crystal's shine dimmed almost instantly after the final statement made by the voice on the other side.

Peril remained worried as taking both was a signal that it would be her final mission on the island before leaving to return to her master. Her worry was accompanied by the crystals themselves. See… one was the com-crystal, a simple communication device, however, it had two runes etched onto it, the first to communicate, the second to detect lies. Due to the location of the kingdom, the crystal remained incredibly fragile so carrying it was a massive risk in itself.

She glanced at the other crystal in the cave. A corruption crystal. These were used often by members of her master's faction to control certain creatures that she made with her own power and extended the courtesy by granting crystals that could do the job of controlling them as well. The corruption key is a green crystal engraved with quite a few runes. Again, considering the position of Zephro, they only had a max of three uses, three creatures. She had two left.

 * * * * *

Argentum. Silver. Shiny and white. These four words often easily described the palace of the kingdom of Zephro. The shining droplets of dew was clear on the grass fields they trotted through with their horses during the night. Again, as used to things as they were, Alloy and party had finally arrived atop the Zeron bridge, Ivy covered her eyes, placing her right hand above her eyebrow whilst her left rested on her left sword that was attached to her waist.

"Sunrise isn't the same when you're in the palace." She said. Looking at Alloy.

"I don't think anything is the same when you're here." She replied.

"Yeah, but you're the princess. You've managed to get burned up here longer since we were kids, yet I'm the one who's darker than you."

They laughed. By this time, they were at the stables on the immediate right side of the end of the bridge.

"Welcome back Princess!! Noble Commander Lore!!" The guards said as some of them helped the knights settle down. Two walked beside Alloy and Ivy and another three were being commanded by Lore to help how they could.

"The king, commander. He wants to see you."

"He'll have to wait for now, I need to find the families of the men and women we lost in the night. They need to be with them." She turned to look at Alloy and Ivy who were already off Macha's saddle, the others still on theirs were either the dead or the injured being taken to the left side, where the infirmary and the sanctuary were. Lore made sure the two were fine as they headed into the small but Noble town, Zeron, that lie ahead of them along with a couple knights whose families awaited them. At the other end of the small town, which was essentially a straight line through, one of the palace entrances lay there, and that was where Alloy and Ivy were headed.